This Side of Invisible

Yesterday I wrote about my journey, my marathon and how/where I am.  But you know what?  It's not really about me.  This is what it's about. Those sweet faces are the faces of warriors.  They have been through a lot and are still loving, kind, and cheerful 99% of the time.  What about the other 1%, you say?  Funny you should ask. Saturday, I had a 14 year old crying about not being able to go to a school dance... and by crying, I mean, crying.  While I was mopping the kitchen floor and trying to reason with him, my daughter came into the kitchen soaking wet.  My first thought: I just mopped that spot!   My second thought: "Why are you wet?"  She informed me that she was wet from chasing after Big Brother down the street.  And it was raining.  I looked out the window astonished.   Why yes, it is raining , I thought, and when it rains it pours, apparently.

We were at Barnes & Noble for a meet and greet with the boys' new k12 teachers and classmates.  The store was a bit chaotic as kids rushed around doing a scavenger hunt that we came in the middle of and my kids weren't interested in anyway.  I waited in line to talk to their teachers and they snuck off into the childrens' section to peruse the books.  I was happy, I was in my element surrounded by books.  And, I love it when they run off searching for books. We stayed until the open house ended.  We didn't win any door prizes, but I had promised to get them each a book as it was also a book fair for the school.  I had explained to them I would get them each something within reason, which I thought was specific enough.  Any parent of a child with ADD, ADHD, OCD or Autism will tell you, you can never be specific enough.  The boys had their hearts set on Lego Ninjago books.  Which were, admittedly, very cool.  They were also $30 a pie...

After a crazy back-to-school week, I really needed this reminder.  Enjoy! This video is a short overview of a sermon given by Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints given in October 2010. If you would like to read, listen to, or watch all of Elder Uchtdorf's sermon, please visit lds.org .

I recently saw a post circulating on FB that said something to the effect that Back to the Future had lied to us because we don't have dryers that fold our laundry for us yet.  And while I do have a wish for the future of technology, it doesn't involve laundry that comes out of the dryer folded or dishes that wash themselves.  Let me explain. FB status update, January 27, 2012: T his is why Geoff and I were inspired to get liability insurance: my 3 dear sons just shot up the missionaries car with their bb guns while trying to chase off a skunk that was roaming up and down our street. Driver's window ruined and about 10 bb dings up and down the driver's side from bumper to bumper. Oh, and let's not forget the scratch down the side where someone ran into the car with the ir bike. Did I mention it was a 2012 chevy malibu... a 2012. Go big or go home, we've taught them well. Now, maybe we should invest in shooting lessons and work on their aim? In ...

One of the biggest downsides of homeschooling is taking all the kids everywhere you have to go.  Mine are getting old enough and responsible enough that I can leave them for short bursts and they do fine.  But today wasn't a day that I could leave them, so I packed up my black 4square backpack with tons of paper and markers, some candy, a few deck of cards, and the iPad and we were off.  After 1.5 hrs of speech appointments and then driving 15 minutes for Bruncle's (as in brother/uncle, 14) appointment with the developmental ped and waiting nearly 25 minutes after our appointment time at which point my children were all overly cranky and whiney and fighting--admittedly I was d.o.n.e by that point too--I panicked when the Dr said, "Just mom and patient back in the room please."  I quickly handed my iPhone over to baby girl (7) and reminded the bb bandits (twins 9) and oldest brother (11) to 'just behave' and said, "Please come get me if there is a proble...